The present invention relates to a discharged-sheet table device which is attached to an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a printing machine, so as to receive recorded sheet being discharged from such an image forming apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 10, a sheet discharging port 2 for discharging a recording sheet on which an image has been formed is conventionally provided on one side surface of an image forming apparatus 1, such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a printing machine. A discharged-sheet table device 3 for receiving the recording sheet which is discharged is provided for this sheet discharging port 2. The discharged-sheet table device 3 is provided in such a manner as to project from the sheet discharging port 2, and fences 3a, 3b, and the like are provided uprightly on an upper surface thereof. The discharged-sheet table device 3 is generally mounted detachably on the image forming apparatus 1. Alternatively, some discharged-sheet table devices are structured such that, when the image forming apparatus 1 is not used, the discharged-sheet table device 3 is slid horizontally toward the sheet discharging port 2 so as to be accommodated in the image forming apparatus 1. Further, some other discharged-sheet table devices are structured such that one end portion of the discharged-sheet table device 3 on the sheet discharging port 2 side thereof is pivotably mounted on the image forming apparatus 1, and when the image forming apparatus 1 is not used, the discharged-sheet table device 3 is pivoted such as to cause the other end portion to be sprung up, so as to be used also as a cover of the image forming apparatus 1.
In addition, a discharged-sheet table device 30 having a movable structure, such as the one shown in FIGS. 11A-11B is also known. A base 31 is fixed to a body frame 1a of the image forming apparatus 1. The discharged-sheet table device 30 is mounted on the base 31 in such a manner as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the discharging direction of the recording sheet. Namely, a holding member 32 is fixed to one end portion of the discharged-sheet table device 30 which is the body frame 1a side, and this holding member 32 is slidably engaged with the base 31 via DELRIN rollers 33. Further, a lower surface of the discharged-sheet table device 30 is connected to the base 31 via a slide rail 34.
As shown in FIG. 12, the discharged-sheet table device 30 receives in a receiving position E the recorded sheets discharged from the sheet discharging port 2, and places the recorded sheets on an upper surface thereof. After the discharging of the sheets, a pulling-out handle 35 is pulled to pull out the discharged-sheet table device 30 to position for taking out the sheaf of the recorded sheets which is and different from the receiving position E, i.e., to a position F for taking out the sheaf of the recorded sheets and located in a position offset from the discharging direction of the recorded sheet, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the sheet discharging direction in this case.
The conventional discharged-sheet table device presents a relatively small problem if there is leeway in the installation space of the image forming apparatus, but the conventional discharged-sheet table device has the drawback that it is very inconvenient to use if there is little leeway in the installation space. For example, in a case where the image forming apparatus is installed in the vicinity of a wall surface, a corner of a room or the like, the operation of taking out a lot of recording sheets stacked on the discharged-sheet table is effected from the apparatus panel side of the image forming apparatus which is an opposite side to the side which faces the wall surface or the like, and it is difficult and trouble some to perform such an operation.
In addition, particularly in a case where the image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a recording-sheet postprocessing apparatus 4 (mainly, a sorter; hereafter referred to as the sorter) as shown in FIG. 10, it is difficult to take out from the discharged-sheet table the sheaf of the recorded sheets stacked on the discharged-sheet table according to the operation in a nongathering method in which the sorter is not used (hereafter this operation will be referred to as the nonsorting operation). That is, the operation of taking out the sheaf of the recorded sheets in this case must be effected in the gap between the sheet discharging port of the image forming apparatus and the sorter. Moreover, since a sheet conveying device 4a comprising a belt conveyor provided for the sorter 4 is disposed on the upper side of the discharged-sheet table, in the case where the sheaf of the recording sheets is taken out from the discharged-sheet table, it is necessary to make use of the narrow space in the gap, so that the discharged-sheet table is very inconvenient to use. Incidentally, the recorded sheet discharged from the discharge port 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 is conveyed to the sorter 4 side by the sheet conveying device 4a. Hence, during the aforementioned nonsorting operation, an end portion of the sheet conveying device 4a on the discharge port 2 side thereof moves to the position indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 10, to thereby allow the recording sheet discharged from the discharge port 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 to be discharged onto the discharged-sheet table 3.
In addition, in the case where the discharged-sheet table is movable between the receiving position E for placing the recorded sheet and the taking-out position F for taking out the sheaf of the recoreded sheets as in the case of the discharged-sheet table 30 shown in FIG. 12, the discharged-sheet table 30 must be installed such that the receiving position E is located on the outer side of the image forming apparatus 1 so as not to interfere with the image forming apparatus 1. If such an arrangement is adopted, however, the gap between the discharged-sheet table 30 in the receiving position E and the discharging port 2 becomes longer than the distance which is considered appropriate for receiving the recorded sheets. Hence, there arises the problem that it becomes difficult to properly arrange the sheets of recording sheet which are stacked on the discharged-sheet table 30.